Tooth cleaning device



Sept. 27, 1938. c. H. SEIFERT TOOTH CLEANING DEVICE Filed Jul 12, 1957 g a W 6 .4 a, 1 I A.

W 4 N W WM. .VMM%W Patented Sept. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE 2,131,676 croorn CLEANING DEVICE Charles H. Seifert, Hempstead, N. Y. Application July 12, 1937, Serial No. 153,266

3 Claims.

The invention aims to provide a new and improved tooth cleaning device having novel provision for holding a cleaning element in position for use and for permitting easy removal of said cleaning element and substitution of a refill wherever desired, the cleaning element or refill being preferably constructed from sponge rubber, into which a dentifrice may be incorporated if desired.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to'the accompanying draw- Fig. l is a vertical sectional View partly in elevation showing one form of construction and illustrating the manner in which the cleaning element or refill is applied to or removed from the holding means.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the form of construction shown in Fig. 1 illustrating the cleaning element or refill held in operative position.

Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 2.

In the drawing above briefly described, while preferred features have been shown and will be rather specifically described, it is to be understood that variations may be made within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawing, l5 denotes a tubular rod having a head It at its front end, said head being rigidly joined to the rod in any preferred way and being adapted to abut the front end of a sponge rubber cleaning element I1, said cleaning element having a longitudinal opening 18 through which the front portion of the rod 15 passes. Preferably the rear side of the head I6 is suitably roughened at IQ for firm engagement with the cleaning element. A handle-forming sleeve 20' is provided around the major portion of the rod I5 and is rearwardly slidable therefrom, the front end 2| of said sleeve being shaped to abut the rear end of the cleaning element I1 and being preferably roughened in any suitable way.

Two lengths 22 of wire extend longitudinally through the tubular rod I5 and are joined to each other at their front ends by a bight portion 23 which receives a pin 24 passing through the head IS. The rear portions of the wires 22 extend beyond the rear end of the rod 15 and are bent to provide forwardly projecting hooks 25. These hooks are normally received in sockets 26 in the rear end of the sleeve 20 and serve to hold said sleeve in operative position upon the rod l5 and to prevent turning of said sleeve upon said rod. When the sleeve 2|] is pushed forwardly to an abnormal position (allowed by compression of the cleaning element ll), the two hooks 25 become disengaged from the sockets 26 and may be squeezed together to allow rearward withdrawal of said sleeve. After removal of the sleeve, the hooks may again be squeezed together and slid forwardly into the tubular rod l5 to prevent saidhooks from interfering with withdrawal of the cleaning element I1 and application of a refill. After the refill is in place and the sleeve 2 reapplied, the bight 23 is pushed rearwardly to. slide the wires 22 and move the hooks 25 again out of the rod l5, permitting re-engagement of said hooks with their sockets.

It is preferable to provide the rear end of the sleeve 20 with a recess 21 in which the hooks 25' are normally positioned. It is also preferable to provide the inner end wall of this recess with an annular groove 28 into which the sockets 26 open, and to provide-more of these sockets than needed at any one time. Thus, by initially engaging the hooks with the groove 28 and turning the sleeve 26 slightly upon the rod 15, the hooks will snap into any of the sockets with which they may be alined. With the hooks thus received in the sockets, the sleeve 20 is sufiiciently far forward to cause the front end 2| of said sleeve to coact with the head It in holding the sponge rubber 3 block or the like I! under some compression, such compression however, being insufiicient to interfere with proper functioning of the cleaning element. By thus holding the cleaning element under compression, it exerts a rearward force on the sleeve 20 and a forward force on the rod I5, holding the hooks 25 properly engagedwith the sockets 26 until said sleeve is forwardly pushed to an abnormal position, exposing the hooks to be squeezed together by hand.

The handle-forming sleeve 20 may either be hollow or of solid construction as may be desired, and it will be obvious that any suitable materials may be used, and that variations in size, proportions, design, etc., may be made within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A tooth cleaning device comprising a tubular rod for passage through a resiliently compressible cleaning element, said rod having a head on its front end to abut thefront end of the cleaning element, a wire extending longitudinally through said tubular rod and having a hook on its rear end disposed at the rear end of said rod,

means connecting the front end of said wire with 5 said rod, and a handle-forming sleeve surrounding and rearwardly slidable from said rod, the front end of said sleeve being shaped to abut the rear end of the cleaning element, the rear end of said sleeve being normally engaged with said hook and being held thereby in operative position.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1; said hook being forwardly turned, said rear end of said sleeve being provided with a socket in which said hook is normally received, the sleeve being forwardly slidable to an abnormal position to disengage said hook from said socket and allow withdrawal of said sleeve from said rod.

ing' the cleaning element.

CHARLES H. SEIFERT.

1 hook into the rear end of said rod when removl0 

